Rail-joint.



D PPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPP no. 111111 1. 1,022,835, Patented Apr. 9, 1912.

UNITED STATES PATENT oEEIoE.

ROY 1. ETCHISON, OF SWISSVALE, PENNSYLVANIA RAIL-JOINT.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ROY P. ETOHISON, of Swissvale, Allegheny county,Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Rail-Joints,of which the following is a full, clear, and exactdescription,'reference being had to the accompanying drawings,formingpart of this specification, in which-- Figure 1 is a transversevertical section taken through a rail joint embodying my invention; Fig.2 is a side elevation of the same; and Fig. 3 is a sectional perspectiveview.

My invention has relation to rail joints, and is designed to provide asecure and efficient joint which can be readily manufactured andassembled, and in which the use of the usual joint boltsis obviated.

In the accompanying drawings, in which I have shown the preferredembodiment of my invention, and which will now be described, the numeral2 designates the end portions of two track rails which are united by myimproved joint.' In accordancewith my invention I securely rivet to eachside of the joint-forming end of .each of the rails 2 a bar 3 having theinwardly beveled edges 4.

5 designate the splice bars, which may in general be of any suitableform, but each of tion.

which is provided on its inner face with a dovetailed groove 6 adaptedto make a close driving fit with the inwardly beveled edges of the bars3. The bars 3 are preferably secured to the rail ends by means of; therivets 7 before the latter. areplaced in posi- The rails are thenproperly placed, and the splice bars are applied and driven endwise overthe bars 3, thus making a secure and efficient joint. In order toprevent any creeping movement of the rails relatively to the splicebars, the latter, together with the base flanges of the rails, arepreferably provided with registering openings or slots 8 through whichspikes may be driven into the ties. In the drawings, 1 have shown theholes in the rail webs somewhat larger than the rivets, but this clear-Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed December 27, 1911.

Serial No. 668,154.

from the provision of a simple and eificient joint, without the use ofbolts and nuts, and free from parts which can work loose in service. I 7

It will beobvious that my invention is susceptible of variousmodifications in detail without departing from the spirit and scopethereof as defined in the appended claims. Thus, it is obvious that theform of the retaining bars may be changed, and that said bars instead ofbeing riveted to the rail ends may be secured thereto in any othersuitable manner as by welding.

What I claim is 1. In a boltless rail joint, a T-rail having an ordinaryplain-faced Web, separately formed retaining bars secured to oppositesides of the web, and splice bars having grooved inner faces arranged tobe driven over the retaining bars, substantially as de- Patented Apr. 9,1912.

an ordinary plain-faced web, and separately formed retaining barssecured to opposite sides thereof by connections extending through therail web, said bars being arranged to be engaged by internally groovedsplice bars, substantially as described.

3. In a boltless rail joint, a rail having separately formed retainingbarssecured to opposite sides of its web by rivets extending throughholes in the web, the heads of said rivets being substantially flushwith the retaining bars and the bars being arranged to be engaged byinternally grooved splice bars, substantially as described.

4:. In a boltless rail joint, a T-head rail having separately formedbars secured to opposite sides of its web by through connections, andsplice bars with inner grooves engaging the retaining bars, the splicebars and rail having open-ended slots to receive means for preventingrelative creeping, substantially as described. I v

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand.

, ROY P. ETCI-IISON.

Witnesses H. M. CORWIN, GEO. I-I. PARMELEE.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents.

' Washington, D. G.

